What Is Interoperability information blocking? A Practical Definition for Health Tech Leaders
Interoperability information blocking defined: practices that unreasonably restrict the exchange of electronic health information, prohibited under the Cures.
Health technology runs on vocabulary, and few terms carry more weight in current strategy conversations than Interoperability information blocking. Here is what it means, why it matters, and the context every reader of our policy & regulation coverage should have.
The definition
Interoperability information blocking is practices that unreasonably restrict the exchange of electronic health information, prohibited under the Cures Act. In practical terms, enforcement now carries real penalties for providers, networks, and vendors.
Why it matters now
Consider the current numbers: cMS launched a dedicated Office of Health Technology Products to steer AI and interoperability policy (our coverage).
Meanwhile, the FDA-CMS TEMPO pilot ties regulatory evaluation to real-world outcomes and Medicare coverage, with Dexcom as its first participant (our coverage).
Where you'll see it in our coverage
The term appears throughout our Policy & Regulation reporting and the related topic feeds, where the companies, policies, and studies shaping it are tracked daily. When headlines reference Interoperability information blocking, this page is the grounding to read them with.
The bottom line
As with every wave before it, the technology is necessary but not sufficient - workflow, incentives, and trust decide the outcome.